Strategies

Expand the role of allied dental professionals (e.g., hygienists, therapists, etc.) via changes to statute, dentist supervision requirements, etc.

Provide financial assistance to working parents, or parents attending school, to pay for child care

Adjust and monitor fluoride levels in public water supplies to reach and retain optimal fluoride concentrations

Expand refundable earned income tax credits for working individuals and families with low to moderate incomes

Adopt policies that allow custodial parents who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to collect all child support paid by the non-custodial parent; no portion is retained by the state

Provide outreach and support to assist those whose employers do not offer affordable coverage, who are self-employed, or who are unemployed

Increase patients’ health-related knowledge via efforts to simplify health education materials, improve patient-provider communication, and increase overall literacy

Establish locally mandated wages that are higher than state or federal minimum wage levels

Regulate mental health insurance to increase access to mental health services, including treatment for substance use disorders

Increase the lowest hourly, daily, or monthly compensation that employers may legally pay to workers